Method of winding wire onto a spool



Jan. 3, 1950 c. B. DALE 2,493,657

METHOD OF WINDING WIRE ONTO A SPOOL Filed marcn 51, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 RUN NEUT RAL REWIND Jan. 3, 1950 c. B. DALE METHOD OF WINDING WIRE ONTO A SPOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 31, 1947 mlm IIIIIIIIIII,

Patented Jan. 3, 1950 2,493,857 METHOD OF WINDING WIRE ONTO A SPOOL Colin B. Dale, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Webster- Chicago tion of Illinois Corporation, Chicago, Ill.,-a corpora- Original application March 10, 1947, No. 733,654. Divided and this application March 31, 1947, Serial No. 738,436

2Claims. (01.242-54) 1 This invention relates to a spool on which wire of a relatively fine gauge is adapted to be wound, and particularly to the method of winding the wire onto the spool whereby the free end portion of the wire, at the conclusion of the winding operation, is held in place so as to restrain the wire against unwinding movement from the spool. It is designed with particular reference to a sound recording and reproducing machine utilizing a magnetizable steel wire, such an instrument being commonly known as a wire recorder. A main problem to be dealt with in any such instrument is the securement of the ends of the wire lengthsthat are wound upon its spools. By my invention this is accomplished in a simple and effective way which may readily be mastered by anyone. The features of improvement herein claimed have been fully disclosed in my application for patent on a Wire recorder, filed March 10, 1947 under Serial No. 733.654, of which this case is a division.

A primary object is to eliminate various inconvenient and annoying characteristics of the wire handling devices of prior wire recorders. On of the disadvantages of such instruments has been the necessity of attaching an end of the wire to a leader" consisting of a serrated Celluloid strip or the like wrapped around the wire on the supply spool and fitted tightly between the flanges of the spool for holding the wire in place. When using the wire in the recorder, such a leader is first unwound from the supply spool and wound onto the takeup spool, successive layers of wire then being wound around the leader on the takeup spool in the course of operation of the machine. Unavoidable projections on the leader'have caused uneven winding of the wire with the production of bumpy spots therein, and this has resulted in distortion of the sound when reproduced. Moreover, if the leader should accldently be broken on, the spool of wire is rendered incapable of further use. In other types of machines adhesive fasteners have been used to secure the wire end to the takeup spool, but such expedients have been sub- Ject to the disadvantage that they produce unevenness in the superposed layers of the wire.

My present invention avoids the foregoing difilculties by providing a novel wire handling mechanism adapted to utilize the wire without a leader or equivalent device, and without resorting to the use of adhesive fasteners for attaching the wire end to the takeup spool. The leading end of the'wire is merely clamped to the take'up spool by a convenient latching means which is located so 2 the spool. thereby causing the successive layers of wire to be wound evenly thereon. During the rewind operation the wire is fed tautly and evenly back onto the supply spool, and as the operation nears completion, the end of the wire slips loose from the latching means. under tension. to produce a final tightening and automatic clamping of the wire on the spool. Thus, the wire becomes firmly bound on th spool and cannot unwind. Moreover, the free end of the wire tends to twist into a pigtail" as it is pulled loose from the latch. making it impossible for the wire end to become buried in the wire on the spool.

In the accompanying drawings. a suggestive embodiment of this invention is set forth in the manner following:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wire recorder constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of a portion of the recorder as not to obstruct the smooth winding surface of so illustrating the layout of the wire handling means;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section looking in the direction of the arrows on line 3-1 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the wire recorder and reproducer is housed in a carryingcase 24 having a detachable lid 22. Inside the lid there is provided a compartment normally closed by a hinged partition 24 (shown in open position) for storing the electric power cord 26. microphone 20 and microphone cable II when the recorder is not in use. The lid 22 is also equipped with a number of spool holders 8! for carrying the wire spools 34.

The iront portion of the recorder is covered by a decorative panel or escutcheon it. The escutcheon is suitably apertured for access to an input socket (not shown) in which the plug ll of the microphone cable 3.. is adapted to be inserted when the instrument is being used for recording. and an output socket 4| for establishing connection to a remote loudspeaker or headphones. Various control knobs project outwardly of the panel it, including the record-listen switch knob 42, a knob 44 on the output tap switch, a volume potentiometer knob 46 and an on-oii-tone control knob u.

A cover 5., Figs. 1 and 2, extends over the rear portion of the instrument and is suitably recessed to accommodate a wire supply spool 34, the wire takeup spool 82 and the recording and pickup head I4, which is also part of the level winder. The handle It of a control lever It extends torwardly of the front edge of the cover 53. The control lever 58 is part of the run-stop-rewind switch which, however, present invention. The chine includes a base plate 82 which support the wire handling means and associated mechanism. I

The wire supply spool 34 that is to be used in the machine is mounted on a chuck 88 (see F18. 4) carried by a vertical shaft 82 that is journaled in self-aligning bearings 84 carried by the plates 88 and 82. An adjusting screw 88 at'the base of the shaft 82 enables the height of the chuck 88 to' be regulated. A disc 8'I-of anti-friction material such as Bakelite, is interposed between the screw 88 and the end of the shaft 32 to afford a thrust bearing for the shaft.

The chuck 88 has a dependent 88 that is concentric with the shaft 82. A motordriven friction wheel (not shown) may be employed torotate the chuck through frictional engagement with its drum 88.

The hub 83 of the chuck 88 (see Fig. 4) is relieved as indicated at 94 around the upper edge of its periphery, the amount of such relief at any point on the hub being such as to conform substantially with an arc struck from a point'diametrically opposite on the hub in the plane of the annular surface that contacts the lower face of the spool 34. A radial slot 88 is formed in the hub 83 to accommodate a small steel ball 83 and a coil spring I88 which urges the ball 88 toward the periphery ofrthe hub 83 against the inner cylindrical surface of the supply spool 34. A cover plate I82 is attached to the hub 83 by a central screw I84 threaded into a tapped opening extending into the shaft 82 axially thereof.- The cover I82 and the outer lipof the slot '88 serve to retain the ball 88 in the.chuck,88 when the supply spool 34 is removed.-

framework of the ma- The. arrangement just described facilitates the insertion and removal of the wire supply spools, as 34, since it is not necessary to accurately align forms no part of the 88 and a sub-base plate i skirt or drum ing or clamping finger I28 which bears on the upper surface of the cover 122.

. The finger I28 is formed on the end of an arm I33 which is mounted on the under side of the cover I22 radially thereof, the finger I28 being extended upwardly through an aperture in the cover. Upward pressure is exerted on the arm I38 by a compression spring I32 disposed around a headed pin I34 that extends through the cover I22 and the arm I38 to depend therebelow. The arm I38 pivots about a fulcrum point I35 so that the spring I32 is effective to urge the finger I28 downwardly against the plate I22. A button I38 on the end of the arm I38 projects through a central opening in the cover I22. The latch finger I28 israised by depressing the button I38. With release of pressure on this button, the wire W is then clamped firmly to the cover or face I22 of the takeup spool 52 under pressure of the spring I32 acting upon the finger I28.

The recording and pickup head 54 is carried on the upper end of a slide bar I38 that extends vertically through apertures in the base plates 88 and 82. A'lug I48 struck out from the slide bar I38 has a tapped opening into which a screw I42 is threaded, the upper end of the screw passing freely through a clearance opening in a member I44 slidably supported on the bar I38. The screw I42 is headed at its upper end, and a coil spring I48 is disposed around the screw I42 between the lug I48-andthe member I44. The

screw I42 affords a means of adjusting the relative positions of the-member I44 and the bar I38.

A tension spring I48 is extended between the member I44 and thebase plate 82 to urge the lower portion of the member I44 against the end of a rocker I58 pivoted at I5I on a bracket I52 extending upwardly from the base plate 82. A stub shaft I54 supported by the bracket I52 carries a worm wheel I58 and a cam I58. The

, worm wheel I58 cooperates with a; worm thread the opening through the spool with the hub 53 nor to assemble the spool on the hub in a particular angular relation. The friction catch or detent comprising the ball 88 and the spring I88 serves to retain the spool 34 securely on the chuck The wire takeup spool 52 is secured on the upper end of a vertical shaft I88 iournaled in self-aligning bearings I88 in the base plates 88 and 82. The lower end of the shaft I88 rests on a disc I88 of anti-friction material which serves as a thrust hearing. The spool 52 has a depending skirtor drum "-8 horizontally aligned with a friction wheel (not shown) that functions as an idler between the shaft of a driving motor (not shown) and the takeup spool 52. Because of the relatively large diameter of the drum II8 the takeup spool 52 is rotated rather slowly when it is being driven by the motor, the wire speed under these conditions being about one-seventh of the wire speed when the chuck 88 is beingdriven from the same motor.

A circular cover plate I22 (see Fig. 3) on the takeup spool 52 has a peripheral portion which forms the upper flange of the spool. A small slot or notch I24 is formed in the edge of the cover I22, and ears I28 are bent upwardly from the edges of the slot on either side thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. The leading end of a wire W which is led from the'supply spool 34 passes partially around the recording head 54 and then under one of the ears I28 for insertion beneath a latch- I88 formed on the shaft I88 of'the takeup spool 52. The cam I58 cooperates with a cam follower I82 on the rocker I58. Rotation of the shaft I88, therefore, is effective through the medium of the cam I58 and rocker I58 to produce alternate upward and downward motion of the head 54 in timed relation with the rotation of the takeup spool 52. I v

'The head 54 houses the coils for recording sound magnetically on the wire W and for picking 3 up the acoustic signal from the wire, depending upon whether the instrument is being operated to record or reproduce the sound. The head 54 also contains an erasing coil for demagnetizing the wire to. clear it of any previous recording when the instrument is being operated for recording purposes, as is familiar to those skilled in the art. .Inasmuch as these portions of the apparatus are conventional, a detailed description thereof isnot included herein. A notch I84 is provided in the head 54 for the reception of the wire W. A guide finger I88 mounted on the cover 58 adjacent the supply spool 34, and a small post or pin I88 extending up from the cover 58 intermediate the head 54 and' the takeup spool 52, assist in guiding the wire between the spools and the recording head 54'.

The control lever 58 is part of a three-position control switch that governs operation of the machine. The handle 58 of the control lever is shown in its neutral or stop position in Fig. 2. The run position of the handle 58 is to the left of neutral, while the rewind position is to the right as viewed in this figure.

amass? When the control handle 58 is in "run" position, during which time the machine may be utilized either for recording or play-back depending upon the setting of the selector knob 42, the driving force of the motor is applied to the takeup spool 52. When the control handle 56 is in "rewind" position, the driving force of the motor is then applied to the chuck 80 carrying the wire supply spool. In the neutral position of the control handle 5. the motor is uncoupled from both the chuck II and the takeup spool 52. Between the spools 52 and 34 and the motor suitable driving connections, not a part of this invention, are operatively arranged.

When a new wire supply spool is placed in the machine, the leading end of the wire W is drawn on the supply spool 34 (see Fig. 2) and carried past the recording and reproducing head 54 to be attached by the latch I28 to the takeup spool 52.

It is preferable to manipulate the takeup spool 52 by hand for bringing the head 56 into its extreme upper position before the wire W is attached to the spool 52, inasmuch as the wire commences to wind from the top down on the spool 52. The selector knob 42 is adjusted as desired for recording or listening. The wire feed is initiated by throwing the control handle 58 into running position at the left of neutral. The wire is wound evenly in uniform layers on the takeup spool 52 as the operation progresses. The wire feed may be started, stopped, and reversed as often as desired by manipulation of the control handle 56, the various working parts being automatically adjusted to each new condition. Reversal of the wire feed is accomplished by moving the control handle to rewind position.

To rewind the wire W the control handle 56 is thrown to rewind position to the right of neutral and maintained there until all of the wire is drawn back onto the supply spool 34. The rewinding operation takes place very rapidly, and as the last of the wire is withdrawn from the takeup spool 52, the wire end is pulled free of the latch I28. The tug of the latch In on the wire produces a final tightening of the wire and a forcing inwardly of a portion of its outer coil between other coils on the supply spool 34, whereby the wire at a point proximate to its projection from the spool is held securely against unwinding. The remaining length of wire then is drawn onto the spool 34 where it wraps around the final layer. The end of the wire, as it slips away from the latch I28, is curled into a pigtail which prevents the end from accidently being buried in the wire on the spool 34, so that it can be readily located and grasped when the spool is to be played back.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the specific ement set forth for purposes of illustration without departing from the principles of the invention. The invention is accordinglv not to be limi to the precise details disclosed herein but includes all modifications thereof within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:'

1. In a wire recorder including a wire supply spool and a wire takeup spool, the method of rewinding wire from the takeup spool onto the supply spool which comprises, maintaining the wire under tension while it is being rewound, guiding the wire onto the supply SW01 to form layers thereof on said spool, and momentarily checking the motion oi a predetermined final length of the wire as it is drawn oif of the taixeup spool, while continuing the motion of the supply spool, thereby to tighten the wire on the supply spool.

2. In a wire recorder including a wire supply spool and a wire takeup spool, the method of rewinding wire from the takeup spool onto the supply spool which comprises, retarding the takeup spool to maintain the wire taut as it is being rewound, imparting oscillatory movement to the wire transversely of its length as it passes onto the supply spool thereby to form layers of the wire on said spool, abruptly checking the motion of a predetermined flnal length of the wire momentarily as the end of the wire leaves the takeup spool, while continuing the motion of the supply spool, whereby certain of the turns 01' wire on the supply spool preceding said final length of wire are forced radially inwardly of the spool between other turns of wire to bind the wire on the spool, and deforming the end of the wire as it leaves the takeup spool.

COLIN B. DALE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the die of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

